The human body comprises many different body lumens and body cavities. By way of example but not limitation, the human body comprises body lumens such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, the urinary tract, fallopian tubes, bronchi, bile ducts, etc. By way of further example but not limitation, the human body comprises body cavities such as the head, chest, abdomen, nasal sinuses, bladder, cavities within organs, etc.
In many cases it may be desirable to endoscopically examine and/or treat a disease process or abnormality which is located within, or on the side wall of, a body lumen and/or body cavity. By way of example but not limitation, it may be desirable to examine the side wall of the gastrointestinal tract for lesions and, if a lesion is found, to biopsy, remove and/or otherwise treat the lesion.
The endoscopic examination and/or treatment of the side wall of a body lumen and/or body cavity can be complicated by the anatomic configuration (both regional and local) of the side wall of the body lumen and/or body cavity, and/or by the consistency of the tissue making up the side wall of the body lumen and/or body cavity, and/or by the tethering of the side wall of the body lumen and/or body cavity to other anatomical structures.
By way of example but not limitation, the intestine is an elongated tubular organ having an inner lumen and is characterized by frequent turns (i.e., the regional anatomic configuration of the intestine), and comprises a side wall characterized by numerous folds (i.e., the local anatomic configuration of the intestine), with the side wall tissue having a relatively soft, pliable consistency, and with the colon in particular being tethered to the abdomen and/or other abdominal structures via soft tissue. It can be difficult to fully visualize the side wall of the intestine, and/or to treat a lesion formed on the side wall of the intestine, due to this varying side wall anatomic configuration (both regional and local), its relatively soft, pliable consistency, and its tethering to other anatomical structures via soft tissue. By way of example but not limitation, in the case of colonoscopies, it has been found that approximately 5-40% of patients have an anatomic configuration (regional and/or local) of the side wall, and/or a tissue consistency, and/or colon tethering to other anatomical structures, which makes it difficult to fully visualize the anatomy (including pathologic conditions of that anatomy, such as polyps or tumors) using conventional endoscopes, and/or to fully access the anatomy using instruments introduced through conventional endoscopes.
In addition to the foregoing, it has also been found that some body lumens and/or body cavities can spasm and/or contract. This spasming and/or contraction can occur spontaneously, but it is particularly common when an endoscope or other instrument is inserted into the body lumen and/or body cavity. This spasming and/or contraction can cause the body lumen and/or body cavity to constrict and/or otherwise move and/or change its configuration, which can further complicate and/or compromise endoscopic visualization of the anatomy, and/or further complicate and/or compromise access to the anatomy using instruments introduced through conventional, flexible endoscopes. In addition, during examination of the colon, which is typically conducted while both advancing and withdrawing the endoscope through the colon, the endoscope may grip and/or otherwise gather the colon during advancement and/or withdrawal and then suddenly slip and release the colon. This gripping and then sudden release of the colon can result in the endoscope moving quickly past significant lengths of the colon, thereby making accurate examination of the colon challenging.
It would, therefore, be highly advantageous to provide novel apparatus capable of manipulating the side wall of a body lumen and/or body cavity so as to better present the side wall tissue (including visualization of areas which may be initially hidden from view or outside the field of view) for examination and/or treatment during an endoscopic procedure.
It would also be highly advantageous to provide novel apparatus capable of steadying and/or stabilizing the distal tips and/or working ends of instruments (e.g., endoscopes, articulating and/or non-articulating devices such as graspers, cutters or dissectors, cauterizing tools, ultrasound probes, etc.) inserted into a body lumen and/or body cavity with respect to the side wall of the body lumen and/or body cavity, whereby to facilitate the precision use of those instruments.
Among other things, it would be highly advantageous to provide novel apparatus capable of steadying and/or stabilizing the distal tips and/or working ends of endoscopes (and hence also steadying and/or stabilizing the distal tips and/or working ends of other instruments inserted through the working channels of those endoscopes, such as graspers, cutters or dissectors, cauterizing tools, ultrasound probes, etc.).
And it would be highly advantageous to provide novel apparatus capable of steadying and/or stabilizing the distal tips and/or working ends of instruments (such as graspers, cutters or dissectors, cauterizing tools, ultrasound probes, etc.) advanced to the surgical site by means other than through the working channels of endoscopes.
It would also be highly advantageous to be able to straighten bends, “iron out” inner luminal surface folds and create a substantially static or stable side wall of the body lumen and/or body cavity, whereby to enable more precise visual examination (including visualization of areas which may be initially hidden from view or outside the field of view) and/or therapeutic intervention.